More than one million Australian citizens and new voters have enrolled to vote since the country's 2016 Federal Election. The figure of 1,030,000 new enrolments, provided by the Australian Electoral Commission, includes 252,000 new citizens who put their names on the electoral roll using enrolment forms provided at citizenship ceremonies.
It is a quarter of a million 'new Australians'; migrants that have become citizens in the last three years. And they will be voting for the first time to choose Australia's federal government on Saturday, May 18.
For many of them, acquiring the right to vote after living and working in the country for many years means that they now feel like they fully belong to their new home.
"I feel I am now a 'full person'," says Paola Magni, 37, a forensic scientist working in criminal investigations, who moved permanently to Perth from her native Italy in 2013. She became an Australian Citizen just three weeks ago.
Echoing Paola's sentiment is Giancarlo Tosti-Croce, 39, a consultant in the mining industry.
Born in Chile, Giancarlo arrived in Australia in 2011 and became a citizen in November 2018. He lives in Sydney and spends extensive periods of time working in South Australia.
"After so many years without being able to vote and have a say, to be able to cast a vote is something very important. A very important milestone," he says.
"The possibility of voting boosts my sense of belonging to Australia," says Bri Willis, 29. "I already voted in the New South Wales elections and that was the first time I was really doing something truly Australian, besides celebrating Australia Day and drinking."
Bri works in the music industry and arrived in Sydney from her native New York in 2012, acquiring her citizenship at the end of 2017.
For many of these new Australians, acquiring the right to vote is a significant personal event.
